Fruit box



y 1956 G. B. BREBNER 2,744,018

7 FRUIT BOX Filed Aug. 7. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l "Will I N V EN TOR. 6550 9655 fi zauzg, BY

y 1, 1956 G. B. BREBNER 2,744,018

FRUIT BOX Filed Aug. 7, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ql lml INVENTOR. 6ioeazfiflasglvze,

BY? fl g- I'TOPIVEYJ.

United States Patent FRUIT BOX George B. Brebuer, Terre Haute, Ind, assignor to Wabash Eibre Box Co., Terre Haute,lnd., a corporation of Indiana Application August 7,,1950, Serial No. 178,078

" 3 Claims. or. est-171 This invention. relates to a container for. use. in the. shipping. of fruit or similar products. An object of the invention is toproduce a containerwhich can be. simply and. economically manufactured and whichvwillprover sturdy and. of ample strength in use. Another-object of the invention is to produce a container havinga removable. cover. and so arranged. that upon removal of: the.;-.cov.en thecontentsof the container will project upwardly: above the sides thereof. A. further object-of the-invention isJtot' facilitate the-packing of. the container in such. arway-that when. the cover is removed a selected and especially ar-. rangedtop layer of the container-contentswill.be;exposeds-' toview.

In carrying out the invention, I employ a containen having three separable parts-namely, a body comprising. a bottom and side walls, a liner, and a cover, 311M301]- veniently formed of corrugated board or other. generally. similar foldable material. The cover is provided along. itsside edgeswith flaps which are'received between the. side? walls of the container-body and the liner. In using. the.v box, the cover. is inverted and the flaps thereon are held in vertical position to define a tray adaptedto .contain the layer of fruit which is tobe the top layerin the. filled; container. After such layenhas beentarrangedtonr the. cover as desired, the liner isputfin place inside the. cover-flapsand between suchflaps. and the. fruit, after which additional fruit is placed within. the liner. untilthe latter is filled. The container-body, in inverted position, is then passed downwardly over the liner andthe=cover flaps, whereupon the container is invertedand the cover fastened in place. a

The accompanying drawings illustrate a preferred; form. of the invention: Fig. 1 illustrates the blank of whichthe cover. is formed; Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating, the, completed cover in inverted position; Fig. 3 isaview. ofthe, linerblank; Fig. 4 is a perspective. view. ofthe finished liner; Fig. 5 is a view illustrating the blankfrom, which the container-body isformed; Fig. 6is a perspective. View illustrating the finished container-body; Fig. 7is a; perspective view in partial section illustrating a ste p inlhe, formation of'the container body shown in Fig. 6;',,Eig;, 8fl; is a perspective view illustrating the final step in the packingand assembly of the container; Fig. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the packed container with its cover fastened in place; Fig. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the first stage in the packing of the container; Fig. 11 is a perspective view illustrating the packed container before the container-body has been lowered into place; Fig. 12 is an elevation in partial section illustrating the packed container still in association with the cover-form; Fig. 13 is an isometricsectional view showing the container parts assembled; Fig. 14 is a perspective view illustrating the filled container with its cover removed to display its contents; and Fig. 15 is a fragmental section showing a modified liner. a

The cover-blank shown in Fig. 1 comprises a body portion having at its side edges integral flaps 21 separated from the body by score-lines 22 which facilitate folding ofthe flaps into positions norrnalto. the body, as shown: in; Fig. 2'. The particular container described ,in this 3P..-| plication is of hexagonal form in plan, and the. C0Y6Erb0d 20: therefore hexagonal; but it will be understood; that. containers of different shape may be employed if desired.

The liner-blank designated in its entirety in Fig. 3 by; the reference numeral 25 comprises. six panels 2 61.srp-.\ arated by score-lines 27 about which the blank canabe folded to bring it into the hexagonal. form illustrated in;

Fig. 4 in which the ends of the blank are joined ,as,1by a-.

desired, each of the panels. 30 may be provided. at'itsfijop.

with: an. integral car 35; foldable inwardly about a score;- line 36, as indicated in Fig. 6, the; container body.

To facilitate assembly ofthe. container-body,;the.- form;

40;; shown in Fig. 7 may beemployed; Such form.cor-- responds externally to the internal shape: of: the containers body and desirably. has in; its center a. large opening; 415,;

as; indicated. In. usingthe; form- 40,. the: blank. shownzim Fig; 5 is wrapped about it, the form occupying a. position;

just; inside the score-lines-34 with the; corners ofthe-form-r coinciding; with the score-lines 31;.and when therfomrhas: been; completely encircled;,the end flap321andthevoppo1 site. endpanel 30 arestapled together. The bottom-flaps;

33. are thenfolded into overlappingrelationship; as;indi -'j cated .-in,Figs;.7 and 8 andare stapled together. Th e;o.1:ven:.

ing 41 in the form 40 facilitates both this. stapling;.opera-. tion and removal-of the form from the. container-body.

Upon removal of the form 40,; the ears 65; may befolderl'e inwardly; to complete the container-body.

Eorguse in-packing the container, I find itconvenienhto. employ the form 43 illustrated-in Figs. 8;. 10,-. and 1-2;. Suchform has arecesscorresponding in shape-tothe. ex'r ternal. form of the cover 20,-21.as illustrated: in:Eig.-2; andthebottom. ofthe recess is provided with. one or more. openings; for a purpose. which wilLhereinaften-become: apparent; In. packing the container, the form: 43 is; dis,-.-. posed asqindicated in Figs. Sandlflwith itsrrecessropen-p ing upwardly; andthe cover, with: its;flaps 21s: folded" up wardly, is .placed within the reces s,-. the .recess wallsmerw ing tolholdthejcover-flaps 21in verticalzpositionsr. The; lay-erg offruitzwhichis to constitute. the upperlayer in the: packedrctmtainer is.thenr carefully arranged in thertrayrv formed by the inverted cover; as;illustrated=in1.Fig: 1.05 This". operation is.- known. as. facing,. and; is common: in

fruit packing. The assembled liner lStthCIl. putiineplace insideethe ;-.cover:flaps 21; and ;the:.liner,= is .filledrwithrfruit as indicated in Fig. 11, the fruit desirably projecting somewhat above the upper edge of the liner. After the liner has been completely filled, the inverted container-body is lowered over it, as indicated in Fig. 8, the cover-flaps 21 being received between the respective side walls of the liner and body, as indicated in Fig. 13. The filled and assembled container, with the form 43 still in place, is then inverted to bring it into the position shownin Fig. 12, whereupon the form 43 is removed. The openings 44 in the form 43 facilitate stripping of the form from the assembled container, as downward pressure can be applied to the container-cover through such openings while the form is being raised. Upon removal of the form 43, the cover is secured in place, as by gummed tape 45.

Ventilation of fruit containers is generally deemed nec- Patented May 1',

to finish the: upper edgeiofc.

essary, and I accordingly provide at least some of the wide walls of the liner and of the container-body with ventilating openings 46 and 47, respectively, and the cover with openings 48. To facilitate handling of the filled package, opposite side walls 30 of the containerbody may be provided with cut-out tongues 50 joined to the side-walls along their upper edges and foldable inwardly as indicated in Fig. 13. If such tongues are employed, the liner is provided in opposite side walls with openings 51 through which the tongues 50 may pass when folded inwardly to provide an opening for the reception of fingers. Cover flaps 21 which might otherwise interfere with inward folding of the tongues 50 may be provided with notches 21'.

In inserting the liner into the cover, it is lowered until it engages the cover-body 20. When the container-body is applied to the filled liner, its downward movement thereover is limited by engagement with the upper surface of the form 43, with the result that the liner projects beyond the open end of the cover body by a distance approximately equal to the depth of the recess in the form 43. If the liner and the container-body have the same height, a gap, indicated at 53 in Fig. 13 will exist between the closed end of the container-body and the adjacent edge of the liner. In filling the liner, allowance is made for the gap 53, and the fruit is heaped well above the liner, as shown in Fig. 11.

If when the container is open, its contents are to be placed on display, as for retail sale, the cover is removed to expose the top layer of fruit, and the liner is then forced downwardly to eliminate the gap 53, thus bringing the upper edge of the liner substantially flush with the upper edges of the side walls of the container-body and leaving the top layer of fruit projecting for a distance above its enclosing walls, a feature which is regarded as contributing to an attractive appearance. To accommodate for relative movement between the liner and the container-body when the former is forced downwardly after removal of the cover, the openings 46 and 51 in the liner may be vertically elongated, as is clearly indicated in Figs. 3 and 13.

An alternative form of liner is indicated at 54 in Fig. 15. That modified liner difiers from the one previously described in that its height exceeds the height of the container body substantially by the depth of the recess in the form 43. In packing, such a liner will be filled only flush with its top. As a result, when the container-body is lowered over the filled liner, the closed end of the body formed by the flaps 33 engages the liner, and no gap such as that indicated at 53 in Fig. 13 exists. Thus, it is impossible, after the removal of the cover, to force the liner downwardly and leave the top layer of fruit projecting upwardly above its enclosing walls. To secure the latter result, however, the liner-blank is formed with a line of perforations 55 so positioned as to be substantially flush with the upper edge of the side walls 30 of the container body when the cover 2021 is removed; and after the cover is removed, the projecting upper end of the liner is torn off, the line of perforations facilitating such tearing.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a method of packing a fruit box having a box- 4 body, a bottomless liner therefor, and a cover provided with foldable flaps along its edges, said liner and cover being formed of foldable corrugated board the steps of supporting said cover in inverted position which its flaps supported laterally to extend vertically upwardly to define a tray, arranging in such tray the fruit which is to constitute the top layer when the box is subsequently opened, inserting the liner between the fruit and the cover flaps,

filling the liner with fruit, and lowering the box-body in inverted position over the liner and cover-flaps.

2. In a fruit-packing box, a corrugated-board box-body having a bottom and side walls, a bottomless and topless circumferentially continuous liner covering the inner surfaces of the side walls to protect fruit contained in the box from contact with said side walls, said liner being of corrugated-board material stiff enough to support fruit contained in the box, and projecting upwardly beyond the upper edges of said side walls for confining laterally a fruit-layer located at least in part above such upper wall edges, and a corrugated-board cover overlying the upper end of said liner and provided at its periphery with integral flaps extending downwardly over the outer surface of the projecting portion of the liner and into the region between the liner and said side walls, said liner being provided adjacent the upper edges of said side walls with a weakened tear-line facilitating the tearing off of the projecting liner portion after removal of said cover.

3. A fruit package, comprising a corrugated-board boxbody having a bottom and side walls, a body of fruit contained in said body and including an upper layer disposed in part below and in part above the upper edges of the side walls, a bottomless and topless circumferentially continuous liner covering the inner surfaces of said side walls to protect the fruit from contact therewith, said liner projecting upwardly beyond the upper edges of said side walls to the top of said upper fruit layer and being of corrugated-board material still enough to support the contained fruit, and a corrugated-board cover overlying the upper fruit-layer and the upper end of said liner, said cover being provided at its periphery with integral flaps extending downwardly over the outer surface of the liner and within the side walls, said liner being provided adjacent the upper edges of said side walls with a weakened tear-line facilitating the tearing off of the projecting liner portion after removal of said cover.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,198,278 Rosenzweig Sept. 12, 1916 1,502,124 Schaefer July 22, 1924 1,919,414 Clark July 25, 1933 1,959,193 Boeye May 15, 1934 2,085,292 Bourland June 29, 1937 2,183,888 Lane Dec. 19, 1939 2,348,532 Farrand May 9, 1944 2,453,614 Belsinger Nov. 9, 1948 r 2,534,010 Frye Dec. 12, 1950 2,581,105 Hunsworth Jan. 1, 1952 2,599,790 Stuart June 10, 1952 

1. IN A METHOD PACKING A FRUIT BOC HAVING A BOXBODY, A BOTTOMLESS LINER THEREFOR, AND A COVER PROVIDED WITH FOLDABLE FLAPS ALONG ITS EDGES, SAID LINER AND COVER BEING FORMED OF FOLDABLE CORRUGATED BOARD THE STEPS OF SUPPORTING SAID COVER IN INVERTED POSITION WHICH ITS FLAPS SUPPORTED LATERALLY TO EXTEND VERTICALLY UPWARDLY TO DEFINE A TRAY, ARRANGING IN SUCH TRAY THE FRUIT WHICH IS TO CONSTITUTE THE TOP LAYER WHEN THE BOX IS SUBSEQUENTLY OPENED, INSERTING THE LINER BETWEEN THE FRUIT AND THE COVER FLAPS, FILLING THE LINER WITH FRUIT, AND LOWERING THE BOX-BODY IN INVERTED POSITION OVER THE LINER AND COVER-FLAPS. 